The virtual exhibition InaFashion Smesco Expo 2021, which is held on April 21-30 2021, is expected to encourage national economic recovery, especially UMKM in the fashion sector. The exhibition, which is organized by Inaproduct in collaboration with Smesco Indonesia.

"Especially UMKM in the fashion sector so that they can recover in the midst of a pandemic because local fashion has the potential to become one of the main drivers of the national economy," said Minister of Trade (Minister of Trade) Muhammad Lutfi when opening the exhibition on Wednesday (21/4).

He explained, InaFashion Smesco Expo 2021 will bring together various small, medium, and large scale business actors and stakeholders in the textile and textile product industry, including footwear. This exhibition is not only attended by business actors who have finished products, but also suppliers of raw materials and suppliers, both domestic and foreign. The series of exhibitions which are also supported by the Association of Indonesian Shopping Center Retailers and Renters (Hippindo) also cover business matching, workshops, talk shows and fashion shows.

Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita hopes that this event can restore the national economy. Moreover, the textile and apparel industry is one of the priority sectors in Making Indonesia 4.0 which is important to continue to be developed. In 2020, the textile and clothing industry exports reached US $ 10.62 billion and its contribution to the GDP of the non-oil and gas processing industry reached 6.76%.

"I invite fashion industry stakeholders, fashionistas, local governments, industry players, market places, and academics to jointly advance the national fashion industry by always promoting and using domestic fashion products. Hopefully the implementation of Inafashion 2021 can have a positive impact on the development and sustainability of the national industry. "said Agus on the same occasion.

Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Shopping Center Tenants (Hippindo) Budihardjo Iduansjah said there were 200 exhibitors who participated in the InaFashion Smesco Expo 2021. Fashion raw material suppliers also participated in this exhibition, so it is hoped thatUMKM can buy these raw materials in large quantities. These UMKM will then fill modern retail stores.

"We need these UMKM as suppliers to fill goods in our stores, so we don't need to import too much. If you want to import raw goods, you can, but finished goods are made here to support a fast economic recovery. So that foreign exchange can be maximized. in the country, "said Budihardjo.

According to Budiharjo, as many as 10 thousand visitors have registered for Inafashion. To promote this exhibition abroad, his party asked for help from the Indonesia Trade Promotion Center (ITPC) and foreign embassies. He also plans to hold the same exhibition in the coming year after the pandemic, so that this exhibition can become the center of a convention for local products, exports, and UMKM.